THIS WEEK IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The House of Representatives passed H.4182 (SC Higher Education Efficiency Act) and sent it to the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Education Committee. Since the bill was passed by the House after the April 10 crossover deadline, it will now require a 2/3 vote by the Senate to be heard.
Please keep an eye out for important calls to action on H.4182.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) will host their next town hall meeting on “College Access and Affordability in South Carolina” in Beaufort this Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 5:30 pm at the Technical College of the Lowcountry, Building 23, at 921 Ribaut Road.
Beaufort area Clemson Advocates, we’d like for as many of you as possible to attend this meeting. Please respond via return email to bmcinni@clemson.edu if you are able to attend.
CHE’s monthly newsletter, which contains a listing of upcoming town hall meetings, may be found here.
BUDGET
The 2018-19 State Budget Process
The Senate completed their deliberations on the state budget on Thursday, April 12.
Below is a summary of the current budget as it relates Clemson University and Clemson PSA:
Clemson E&G
– $2,868,740 in recurring funding for Access and Affordability for In-state Students – Tuition Mitigation Funding (No recurring funding in the House)
– $5 million in nonrecurring funding for SC’s Advanced Materials Industrial Competitiveness (Instruments) (House funded $5 million)
– $2.4 million in nonrecurring funding for deferred maintenance (not funded by the House)
– $300,000 in nonrecurring funding for STEM equipment (not funded by the House)
Clemson PSA
– $1.5 million in recurring funding for Water Resource Research, Management and Technology (House funded $2 million)
– $500,000 in recurring funding for the Pinckney 4-H Scholars program and Comprehensive Statewide Extension Programs (not funded by the House)
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Statewide Research and Education Facility Upgrades (same as the House)
– $3 million in nonrecurring funding for Facility Renovation for Water Research(same as the House)
– $6.8 million in nonrecurring funding for the T. Ed Garrison Arena Education/Conference Center Renovation and Repairs (not funded by the House)
The current version of the budget includes an increase in the cost of health insurance and an increase in retirement contributions for state employees and employers. The employee portion of both will be paid by the state. The employer portion of both will have to be covered by the university.
Detailed information on Clemson’s 2018 state legislative and budget priorities for FY 2018-19 may be found at these links:
Clemson Education and General (E&G) Priorities
Clemson Public Service and Agriculture (PSA) Priorities
BILLS OF INTEREST
The Clemson University Governmental Affairs office is monitoring several bills that have potential impact on Clemson. A complete listing of these bills may be found here. Click on the bill number for a description of the legislation, along with the bill’s current status.
NEWS AND FYI
Please follow CU at the Capitol on Twitter. Current news coverage of interest may be found here.